A FARMER shot his friend through the heart at point blank range with an air pistol illegally modified to fire live bullets, a court heard.

Father-of-two Adam Dixon shot 19-year-old Karl Barry in a cow shed at Sheephouse Farm in Smithills Dean Road after examining the loaded gun owned by the teenager, a jury heard.

The 34-year-old, who is charged with the manslaughter of Mr Barry, told police he thought the .22 Brocock gun could only fire blanks or pellets and it did not discharge when he pulled the trigger, Manchester Crown Court was told.

But Dixon then cocked back the revolver's hammer and it fired, killing Mr Barry almost instantly, jurors heard.

Graham Morris QC, prosecuting, said Mr Barry, of Chorley Old Road, Heaton, died in "tragic and unnecessary circumstances."

The court heard the gun's firing pin had been altered and a metal tube inserted into the chamber, which allowed it to fire bullets even by cocking the hammer.

Mr Morris said: "It is not contended that Mr Dixon intended to injure or kill Mr Barry. There was no animosity between them as they had known each other for a considerable time."

Dixon met Mr Barry about five years ago when the teenager worked at Target Sports, a gun and ammunition shop in Halliwell Road, Bolton, the court was told. Both held valid firearms licences.

Mr Morris added: "They had a combined interest in shooting. Mr Dixon allowed him to shoot on his farm."

Mr Barry worked on Dixon's farm and they often hunted vermin with guns, the court heard.

The jury heard Mr Barry had acquired the Brocock Orion .22 air gun last November.

The changes meant the weapon was illegal, the court was told, but Mr Barry took it to Dixon's farm.

Dixon later said Mr Barry was showing it him when it fired early on the morning of Friday December 28. But Mr Morris said Dixon was told by Mr Barry that the gun had been modified.

Dixon pulled the trigger and it did not go off. He thought it only fired blanks and pellets, the court heard. But Dixon then cocked it back and it fired -- hitting Mr Barry.

The jury heard Dixon later told detectives in an interview: "I cocked it back and it went off. Then I saw Carl just double up and start holding his chest.

"For a split second I thought he was messing around.

"Then I asked him 'have you given me a loaded gun? He said 'yes' then fell to the floor.

"I pulled up his clothing and saw a bullet hole. It was then that I knew he was dead."

The bullet pierced Mr Barry's heart and he died within seconds, the jury of six men and six women heard.

The court heard Dixon was then arrested and the farm was sealed off by police. Jurors heard he later told detectives: "I do not agree with the charge."

Mr Morris added: "This modification allowed the weapon to fire live bullets. We submit that the defendant must have known there was a bullet in that piece of metal tubing.

"The prosecution needs to prove that Mr Dixon's gross negligence caused Mr Barry's death.

"We say we can be sure that Mr Dixon was in breach of a duty of care and that Mr Barry's death was caused by Mr Dixon's breach of that duty."

Dixon, who has run the beef cattle farm for the last 16 years with his wife Joanne, denies manslaughter. A separate charge of possessing an illegal firearm was dropped.

(Proceeding)

An illegally modified version of this model of air pistol was allegedly fired, killing Mr Barry.